At the beginning of the year, Mercedes-Benz announced that its mid-range AMG Sport lineup was getting the axe. A sort of transitional roster between standard Mercedes cars and high-performance Mercedes-AMG vehicles, the AMG Sport badge was to be absorbed into the official AMG stable. Isn’t car nomenclature fun? Nevertheless, there’s another member of the tire-shredding family — the Mercedes-AMG C43 Coupe.
A two-door version of the C450 AMG Sport Sedan (which should gain a C43 badge itself soon), the sleek coupe features a biturbo 3.0-liter V6 that makes 362 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque. That power is channeled to a rear-biased AWD system through a nine-speed automatic transmission, where it will push the car to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. Think of it as the little brother to the C63 S Coupe we tested late last year.
“The extension of the C-Class family to include the new C43 Coupe is another component in our growth strategy,” said Mercedes-AMG Chairman Tobias Moers. “It not only enriches the wide line-up of the C-Class family, but also starts the introduction of a whole series of new ‘43’ models this year. The ‘43’ models boast the characteristic AMG genes, which are also included in our GT and ‘63’ vehicles, and thus consistently interpret our brand essence of ‘Driving Performance’ in their segment.”
Debuting in public at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, the C43 Coupe features the variable driving characteristics buyers have come to expect from Mercedes-AMG, including a Dynamic Select menu that adjusts engine response, exhaust sound, suspension stiffness, steering weight, and more. The car also equips a panoramic sunroof, 18-inch wheels, and the Collision Prevention Assist Plus safety suite as standard, with the brand’s Command infotainment system and semi-autonomous features available as options. Pricing will be announced closer to the vehicle’s on-sale date this fall.
Also premiering in Geneva will be the new C-Class Cabriolet, which was previewed by the brand’s official design sketch earlier this month.
